Speech is happening all around us constantly. We have meetings, phone calls, presentations, conferences, and interviews. All of those events consist of important information. Sometimes, we record the speech from these occasions for reference at a later date. The smarter folks go a step further and get the recordings transcribed into text.
Recording Transcription Services
While we can transcribe our own audio and video recordings, the work is tedious and takes a long time. That’s because most of us aren’t professional transcribers. Luckily for us, transcription providers exist, and they get the job done accurately and in a timely manner.
What to Look For in a Recording Transcription Service Provider
As there are many companies out there providing recording transcription services, we need to perform our research to determine the best one to fit our needs. Here are some criteria for consideration:
- Turnaround Times
Pick a service provider that can meet your deadlines. A transcriber typically takes three minutes to transcribe one minute of audio. Therefore, the bigger the pool of professionals a company has, the better its ability to get the work done quickly. This is because a file can be broken into several portions. Therefore, multiple workers can simultaneously transcribe parts of an hour-long file.
Turnaround times are important, especially when you have urgent files. Journalists reporting on current events will find short delivery times particularly helpful. Quick transcriptions will result in a reporter getting a news article out faster.
- Accuracy Levels
Don’t settle for anything less than 99% accuracy for your transcripts. At https://gotranscript.com/transcription-services/recording-transcription, you’ll find that the GoTranscript team frequently works with tough, poor-quality audio. And yet, the company still manages to achieve a high standard of accuracy.
Good transcribers will be able to handle crossover talk and noisy backgrounds and identify multiple speakers without difficulty. They have the patience, experience, and tools required to go the extra mile. Even accents are not a significant issue for transcribers because they’ve worked on recordings from clients worldwide.
- Costs
Aim for a recording transcription service with a transparent pricing structure. You want to avoid having to pay for unexpected hidden charges. Most providers charge according to the length of the recording. They will increase the rates for unclear audio, multiple speakers, accents, and urgency, among others.
It’s crucial not to go for the cheapest service you find. Let’s take automated speech recognition tools as an example. They’re significantly more affordable than human-based services. However, AI isn’t capable of producing quality transcripts as yet. You’ll find the results severely lacking in terms of accuracy. Consequently, you will need to spend a lot of time reviewing and correcting the transcripts.
- Client Testimonials
If clients are unhappy with a service, they will make their feelings known. Similarly, contented customers will readily leave a good review when they are satisfied with a vendor. Make sure your chosen transcription company displays its client ratings, and look out for good ones. In addition, check third-party review sites such as G2 and TrustPilot for unbiased opinions.
Try to identify reviews from previous customers within your industry. This way, you’ll know whether the transcription provider has workers familiar with your field’s jargon and business practices. It helps to be confident in a company’s past work, and reviews go a long way to building your trust.
How Much Transcription Services Cost
You’re wise to concern yourself with how much it will cost to prepare a transcript. Many factors decide the final price for a transcription, such as:
- Recording length
- Format of the transcript (clean verbatim or full verbatim)
- Turnaround time
- Number of speakers
- Audio quality
- Heavy accents
- Timestamping
- Language
There are a few things you can do to lower the cost of your transcripts. Some service providers will give you a discount for large orders, so look out for loyalty programs. In addition, you should always aim for clear audio. Invest in a good recorder and make your recordings in a quiet environment. Lastly, choose the right type of transcription for your needs. If you’re working on a podcast, you don’t need a full verbatim transcript, so paying extra for one doesn’t make sense.
Conclusion
Getting your recordings transcribed by a professional transcription service provider is one of the best decisions you can make. Accuracy should always be your number one priority. Quality transcripts will help you get things done faster and ease your workload.
